Kiss the Stranger

I was momentarily flustered and blinked. Steward hastily closed the door and strode in, his expression fierce as he spoke.
“Now, tell me. What happened? What did the maid say?”

His uncanny insight startled me again, and I forced my tears to dry.
“How….”
I murmured, and Steward—a matter-of-fact glint in his eye—turned his gaze from me to the table.

“You couldn’t have left this room, and the maid wouldn’t have touched anything before bringing that tray. You were alone and crying. Isn’t it obvious?”
Was it? Embarrassment warmed my cheeks, and I lowered my eyes.
“It’s nothing big….”

Quietly, I recounted the events from earlier in halting fragments. When I mentioned the princess, tears welled in my throat again, but I managed to finish.
“…That’s all.”
Saying it out loud made it seem trivial, yet merely speaking of Kamar’s fiancée squeezed at my heart. I felt him drift even farther away. Without a word, Steward looked down at me, then took my arm and led me back to the sofa. Once I was seated, he dragged over a small stool and sat opposite me.
“You really should leave here as soon as possible, Yohan.”

“Huh?”
Startled by the seriousness in his tone, I glanced up. He continued gravely,
“Staying cooped up like this only makes you more depressed—your thoughts turn pessimistic. It’s too dangerous to go out on your own, so I’ll ask the Crown Prince to move up ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) your outing date. There’s barely ten days left; he should grant you a few extra days. I wish I’d thought of this sooner, but the timing wasn’t right.”

His words sprang a new worry in me.
“How was the Crown Prince’s checkup… did anything bad show up?”
“Oh, no. All patient information is confidential. And this is the Crown Prince we’re talking about. Top secret.”

His curt dismissal made me blush. I apologized, though his point was valid—yet part of me still worried. Once a week he checked on the Crown Prince’s health; such frequent exams were unusual. And what research was he conducting?
What on earth is he doing?
Growing anxious but unable to ask more, I ate my meal in silence, though nothing would go down. Seeing me leave half untouched, Steward clicked his tongue.

“You need to eat at least half, or you’ll be nothing but skin and bone.”
I could only mutter “I’m sorry.” After a moment’s pause, he murmured as if to himself,
“I heard the Crown Prince likes a woman with some curves.”

“Huh?”
I looked up reflexively and forced a bitter smile.
“That’s a lie, right?”

“Who knows?”
Steward answered indifferently.
“Is there any man in the world who’d prefer a body of bones alone?”

His words didn’t make me laugh. Still, I had no appetite left and bowed my head.
A few days later—only three, but sooner than expected—Steward returned with permission from the Crown Prince. He broke into a relieved grin.
“This is good, right? I was worried, but now we can breathe easier.”
“Yes.”

I tried to smile, though my heart felt heavy. I must have looked strange, because Steward frowned and reached across the table to grasp my hand.
“Another chance will come if you wait. I’ll stay here and monitor the situation. Don’t lose heart, okay?”
“Okay.”

I forced another smile and dropped my gaze. Could there really be another chance? Or perhaps… never again.
Just then, a sudden impulse to vanish somewhere in the vast palace gripped me. Steward’s voice brought me back.
“…There’s going to be a prayer ceremony.”

“What?”
I looked up at his impassive face. His tone was as flat as his expression.
“It’s a ceremony to pray for the king’s recovery. The annual prayer is for prosperity, and all prominent families attend. But this time it’s a special ceremony—only royal family members will gather. The Crown Prince will preside.”

My heart sank. He must have seen it, because he gave a wry smile.
“You want to go, don’t you, Yohan?”
“…Yes.”

I answered honestly.
“May I go too? You said only royals….”
“Normally, no.”

He interrupted my faltering words. When I fell silent in disappointment, he continued,
“But attendance is possible. They need attendants to serve during the ceremony, and as the prince’s physician, I was ordered to attend.”
Suddenly I understood what he meant.

“Really?”
He nodded at my wide eyes.
“You can attend as my assistant. I even secured the Crown Prince’s permission, just in case.”

“It—how….”
My heart pounded so fiercely I could barely speak. Steward continued as if it were nothing.
“When I asked for your outing permission, I mentioned I’d bring an assistant.”

“Kamar…the Crown Prince, he agreed?”
I swallowed hard as he shrugged.
“He didn’t mock me too harshly, so he let it slide.”

“Mock? What did he say?”
Steward readily relayed the prince’s words.
‘Is sending an assistant because you have no work to do? Yet you need one for a ceremony—interesting.’

“He didn’t even smile when he said it.”
Steward complained lightly, then changed the subject.
“In any case, it’s approved, so no worries. It’s your last chance to see him before you leave. You’ll go, right, Yohan?”

“Yes.”
The answer burst out faster than I expected. Steward paused, then frowned.
“Shouldn’t you think about it for at least a minute? Ah, whatever. I know what you mean.”

He waved a hand, and I returned his awkward smile. My heart, which had felt like lead, now fluttered wildly.
I’ll see him again.
Just that thought made me giddy. I hadn’t been able to eat from sadness, but now excitement killed my appetite.

I’ll see him one more time.
Clasping my hands together, I silently thanked God. Steward simply watched me with a faint smile.
On the day of the ceremony, the palace buzzed with activity from dawn. Following Steward’s advice, I washed early and changed into clean clothes, ready to depart. Fasting was the rule on ceremony days, but because I’m a foreigner, a maid brought me a simple meal and left. It was modest—less than usual, like the food eaten after sunset during a fast—but still a considerate gesture, and Steward knew this even before I pointed it out.

“Eat, Yohan.”
He urged me, but I shook my head. He may be a foreigner, but I am not. I refused, praying the ceremony would go smoothly. Without comment, he finished his own breakfast and stood. Instead of heading out immediately, he took the first-aid kit from the cupboard and handed it to me.
“Just in case. Don’t feel obligated; it’s more for show.”

“Let’s go.”
I followed him out of the lab and took a deep breath. We walked down the long corridor and onto the arched colonnade that opened to all sides. My heart fluttered with excitement—after days without seeing Asgayl even in shadow, today I would at last.
Soon.

When I caught my breath again, we arrived at the prayer hall.
“Doctor, welcome.”
A court attendant greeted us, and we returned his bow before being shown to our designated seats. I tore my eyes from the lavish arabesque walls to see white marble pillars rising in perfect rows. On the polished marble floor, crimson carpets marked each spot—just right for one person to kneel in prayer. Steward and I sat off to one side, near the altar flanked by tall vases of brilliant flowers, yet out of the main sightline.

We watched the palace staff bustle back and forth, and time slipped by. Soon the Crown Prince would appear. I discreetly wiped the cold sweat from my palms on my robe, when suddenly the atmosphere shifted. It wasn’t him—attendants who’d been moving busily converged to one side. Curious, I glanced over; Steward, noticing too, froze.
“Yohan, prepare yourself.”
His quiet warning filled me with dread. I looked up anxiously, and he whispered,

“There she is—Princess Najima, the Crown Prince’s fiancée and cousin.”
My heart, which had been soaring with joy, plummeted like a stone.